Warrington councillor warns new planning rules could weaken scrutiny

Summarised from Warrington Guardian's report · Updated 12 Oct, 19:07 · Archive

New national planning rules taking effect on October 31 could reduce local scrutiny of developments, a Warrington councillor warns.

The leader of the independent group on Warrington Borough Council has raised concerns that new national planning rules coming into force on October 31 could 'weaken the ability' of councillors and parish councils to secure public scrutiny of controversial developments. Cllr Stuart Mann has written to senior council officers, parish councils and political group leaders ahead of the changes.

Under Warrington's current arrangements, ward councillors and parish councils can, in certain circumstances, ensure planning applications are referred to the development management committee, where decisions are made by elected councillors at public meetings rather than by planning officers. The new national legislation will change how applications are allocated between officers and planning committees. Certain applications will have to be determined by officers, while others will only be eligible for committee consideration where they meet new legal criteria and both a nominated senior planning officer and a nominated committee member agree.

Cllr Mann said: 'Planning decisions can change our communities for generations. Residents deserve to know that their concerns are being properly considered and that their elected representatives have a meaningful opportunity to raise them.' He is calling on the council to find a way to retain a formal process allowing scrutiny of significant applications.

Read the report

• Warrington councillor warns new planning rules could weaken public scrutinyWarrington councillor Stuart Mann urges the council to protect local scrutiny of major developments as new national planning rules take effect on October 31.Warrington Guardian · 12 Oct, 18:01

In this story: Warrington · Warrington Borough Council · Stuart Mann

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